Attack in the Block

Six friends always looking for the easy life and with no care for anyone else agree to enter Mercy Point, an abandoned block of flats, to stick an aerial on the roof for a pirate radio station in return for some drugs and money. Whilst abandoned the block is patrolled by the authorities and they have to make sure they are not caught although with plans to get stoned and party in building they are not the smartest bunch. But what they don't realise is that Mercy Point isn't as empty as they thought and they are on someone's territory who isn't going to let them get out of there alive.

I've mentioned this before but for a horror movie to stand out from the crowd what it really needs to do is establish characters which the audience can connect to and champion. Without this the movie becomes only about the horror and more often than not, even with decent direction, it is not enough to make the movie stand out from the crowd. This is the big problem which "Comedown" has as are bunch of teens/ young adults are unsympathetic urban stereotypes who don't know how to string a sentence together or use proper words. In fairness maybe there will be those who think these characters are real but for the majority they are annoying and annoying means I couldn't give a monkeys what happens to them in a dirty old block of flats, the sort where the stair wells stink of urine.

Now unlikeable characters is not the only issue to dog "Comedown" as yet again we have a movie which doesn't have enough storyline to last 90 minutes so for the first half it drags its feet and becomes tedious with scenes of what seems like filler. Of course this is made all the more depressing as filler featuring unsympathetic characters is more painful than ever.

What I will say is that whilst "Comedown" as a whole didn't do it for me director Menhaj Huda displays some nice touches and uses the gloom of an abandoned block of flats to good effect. The way shadows flicker across the light from a door way and the never ending nature of corridors is brilliant, even the look of the abandoned flats with some inhabited by pigeons who have made them their home is good. And in fairness when the story finally kicks in and are friends end up in danger, well more danger than ending up morons for the rest of their lives, there are some reasonable thrills and graphic scenes of horror.

What this all boils down to is that "Comedown" has its moments and in many ways is a good showcase of director Menhaj Huda's talents. But between a drawn out first half and the unlikeable nature of the characters it is hard work to enjoy.